framed

By request…

A few years back, Kelly at the store wanted a few of us to make sample frames for the store.  I had mine sit on my desk for a while…just couldn’t come up with an idea.

Finally I decided to just play around with my acrylic paints and Crackle Medium. It took me a while, but I loved how it turned out.

It was on display for a while and when she had to close earlier this year, I was able to put it in my living room! Now that she’s re-opened, she can’t get the frames anymore…so it stays on my wall. Yay me! :)

Here’s how I did it. I wish I had photographed the steps…but I didn’t think about it at the time…sorry.

The frame was pressed board…flat, no wood grain to it at all.

I painted the whole thing a dark chocolate brown…just using regular Apple Barrel or similar acrylic paint. Let it dry completely.

Then slather a layer of Crackle Medium. It’s in the same area of the store (JoAnn’s, Michael’s) as the acrylic craft paints. Let that dry completely.

Then I painted over it with a cream colored acrylic paint. Again, Apple Barrel or the like.

I wasn’t thrilled with it…so I did another layer of Crackle Medium and Cream.

Told you this took forever. You have to let each layer completely dry or the new layer starts peeling up the tacky layer.

Anyway, I still wasn’t thrilled it. So I took a hammer to it and started making dents and scratches to make it even more distressed. Still not what I thought in my head.

Finally I went and bought some water based walnut stain. I painted it all over the frame and rubbed the excess off with a rag. It was getting better…

The last step did it for me…STEEL WOOL! I rubbed the frame (after the stain was completely dry). It took off the look of the brush marks, smoothed out the roughness of the distressing and really polished it up.

Finally…

 

I have gotten so many complements on this frame! Just for the record, I don’t think I needed that second application of Crackle Medium and cream paint. It was the stain and steel wool that did what I wanted it to.

These are all old supplies: Jenni Bowlin stickers and polka paper, Teresa Collins notebook paper, October Afternoon stripes, American Crafts Thickers, spiral notebook and file tab punches.

The House Rules were from a friend of mine…here is the full list:

House Rules

Always be honest Proverbs 12:22

Count your blessings Psalms 34:1-3

Bear each other’s burdens Galatians 6:2

Forgive and forget Micah 7:18

Be kind and tender hearted Ephesians 4:32

Comfort one another I Thessalonians 4:18

Keep your promises Romans 4:21

Be supportive of one another Acts 20:35

Be true to each other Revelations 15:3

Look after each other Deuteronomy 15:11

Treat each other like you treat your friends Matthew 7:12But most important, love one another deeply from the heart I Peter 1:22

Don’t you love it?

Kristen